The Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) has never been inclined to do things by halves. Its 2027 program promises an ambitious mix of orchestral spectacle, world premieres, international exchange and opportunities for young musicians to explore what it means to be an artist in a rapidly changing world.

From Respighi’s technicolour portraits of Rome to a collaborative venture in Singapore, the season brings together some of Australia’s most promising young instrumentalists with leading conductors, soloists and composers.

But for AYO chief executive Kimbali Harding, the year’s significance extends beyond the repertoire and the excitement of performing on major stages.

At the 2027 program’s heart, she says, lies a deceptively simple question: why music?

“We know our young people are brilliant. AYO has been brilliant for nearly 80 years,” Harding says. “But we’re also really interested in the broader role of music in society and the role of our young.”

“I think music and musicians have an extraordinarily important part to play.”

The Australian Youth Orchestra’s Kimbali Harding. Portrait supplied

Music, Harding argues, offers young people ways to connect with others, understand different perspectives and develop empathy – qualities that matter all the more in a world undergoing rapid technological, economic and environmental change.

That philosophy informs a season that retains the orchestra’s trademark ambition while broadening its conception of what musical training and international engagement can achieve.

The year begins in Adelaide with the National Music Camp’s Summer Music Festival, running from 16 to 23 January. Some 200 musicians will perform seven concerts encompassing 12 hours of music, with an international artistic team bringing distinct cultural perspectives to the program.

Finnish conductor Emilia Hoving draws on her heritage with works by Jean Sibelius, Kaija Saariaho and Outi Tarkiainen. French conductor Alexandre Bloch explores the colours and imagination of his country’s musical tradition through Debussy and Ravel, while Japanese violinist and string ensemble director Aiko Goto turns the spotlight on Yasushi Akutagawa alongside Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

Umberto Clerici and musicians of the Australian Youth Orchestra. Photo © Lisa-Maree Williams/AYO

February brings one of the season’s major orchestral undertakings: the complete Roman Trilogy of Ottorino Respighi, conducted by Umberto Clerici at the Sydney Opera House on 13 February and at Llewellyn Hall in Canberra on 14 February.

The three symphonic poems – Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome and Roman Festivals – demand considerable orchestral resources and a flair for colour, precision and sheer sonic impact. It is an ambitious challenge for any ensemble, let alone one whose players are still developing their professional careers.

Harding is particularly enthusiastic about Clerici’s involvement. “You can’t be in a room with Umberto and not be energised,” she says. “It’s contagious.”

The concerts also feature British-Australian flautist Joshua Batty, former principal flute of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, in the world premiere of a new Flute Concerto by Sydney-based composer and AYO alumnus Harry Sdraulig.

The pairing offers a tangible illustration of AYO’s alumni network at work. Batty represents the possibilities of a career that extends well beyond youth-orchestra training, while Sdraulig’s return as a composer demonstrates how the organisation’s influence can continue into the next generation of Australian musical life.

Harding believes there is particular value in allowing young musicians to see people with whom they can identify occupying professional roles.

“We want to have Australian alumni back on the podium, composing, soloing with us,” he says. “There’s nothing more potent than identifying yourself or seeing yourself in their story and realising that this also could be a story similar to your own.”

AYO’s Momentum Ensemble. Photo © Don Arnold/AYO

Alumni are also integral to AYO’s work behind the scenes, returning as tutors and mentors across its programs. Their involvement helps establish a continuum between generations of musicians, while offering participants a more expansive picture of professional life.

That picture is increasingly important as young artists confront a changing industry. Harding acknowledges the pressures posed by technology, economic uncertainty and environmental concerns, particularly for those contemplating a career in classical music. An orchestral seat may remain an aspiration for many, she says, but it need not define an entire career. “Musicians increasingly combine performing with teaching, chamber music, advocacy and other creative pursuits.”

AYO’s 2027 program, Harding says, seeks to encourage that flexibility by giving young people opportunities to work across artistic disciplines and to develop their own ideas. Through initiatives including its Momentum Leaders projects, participants can create alongside artists from other fields, including circus performers, dramaturgs and composers. The organisation’s youth council and youth summit also give young people opportunities to engage directly with politicians, business leaders and arts-sector representatives.

The aim is not simply to prepare musicians for an existing professional landscape, but to help them imagine how that landscape might change.

The AYO Symphonists. Photo © Lisa-Maree Williams/AYO

International engagement is another area in which AYO is rethinking established models. In March, AYO Symphonists – its ensemble of high-school musicians – will travel to Singapore for performances at The Esplanade on 11 and 13 March, led by German conductor Christoph Altstaedt.

The program opens with Aerial Dances by Australian composer and AYO alumna Abigail Lui, followed by Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, featuring AYO alumnus Pei-Sian Ng, principal cellist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Dvořák’s Fifth Symphony completes the program.

The performances form part of an international exchange with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, positioning the encounter as a collaboration rather than simply a showcase for Australian talent.

AYO has toured internationally since the 1970s, but Harding sees growing importance in building relationships closer to home, particularly with Singapore, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. That approach also reflects an awareness of the environmental impact of touring.

Europe remains an important centre of the Western orchestral tradition, Harding acknowledges, and AYO will continue to engage with Europe and North America. But the future of the art form, its audiences and its innovations cannot be understood solely through those traditional destinations.

Members of The Australian Youth Orchestra. Photo © Bowery Image Group

But all musical ambition depends on access – which remains a central concern for AYO. With support from its principal funding partners as well as individual donors and foundations, Harding says the aim is to ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent a talented young musician from taking part and building a career.

“We don’t want anyone to feel left behind,” he says. “If they need help, we will find that help and we will make sure that there are no cost barriers to them participating.”

Ulimately, Harding wants Australia to recognise its musical and artistic achievements with the same confidence it brings to its sporting identity.

“We are an extraordinarily musical nation,” she says, pointing to the depth of talent Australia sustains relative to its population.

“Our creatives are a resource that grows through use, and one that deserves a more prominent place in public life.”

AYO 2027 

National Music Camp: Adelaide, 16-23 January

Australian Youth Orchestra – The Roman Trilogy: Canberra & Sydney, 13-14 February

AYO Symphonists x SYNO: Singapore, 11 & 13 March

Momentum Ensemble: The Soldier’s Tale, Melbourne, Perth & Mt Barker SA, 31 March-4 April

Australian Youth Orchestra: Mahler 1 ‘Titan’, Tweed Heads, Lennox Head & Brisbane, 9-11 July

For more information on the Australian Youth Orchestra and its 2027 programs, visit ayo.com.au